Automated structures for receiving and transporting articles of different types have been known and used in the past. A number of disclosures have been made which relate to the handling of semiconductor wafers. Two of such disclosures are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,441,121 and 3,865,254. Other articles, such as capsules and flexible container closure members, have been handled by structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,811,552 and 4,155,439.
Generally, article-handling structures of conventional design are complex in construction and, as a result, are expensive to produce and to maintain. Also, none of the conventional structures have been made for use as an accessory to a conventional microscope of the type used for inspection and other purposes. Thus, the need has arisen for apparatus and a method for handling semiconductor wafers and other similar articles of commerce in a manner to avoid the problems mentioned above with respect to the structures of the prior disclosures.